83 FR 30887 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Gulf of Maine Haddock Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 127 (July 2, 2018)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 127 (July 2, 2018)
| Page Range | 30887-30888 | |
| FR Document | 2018-14185 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2018)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 30887-30888] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-14185] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 151211999-6343-02] RIN 0648-XG318 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Gulf of Maine Haddock Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This action closes the Gulf of Maine Haddock Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area to Northeast multispecies common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear. The closure is required because the common pool fishery is projected to have caught over 90 percent of its Trimester 1 quota for Gulf of Maine haddock. This closure is intended to prevent an overage of the common pool's quota for this stock. DATES: This action is effective June 29, 2018, through August 31, 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9232. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at Sec. 648.82(n)(2)(ii) require the Regional Administrator to close a common pool Trimester Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC is projected to be caught. The closure applies to all common pool vessels fishing with gear capable of catching that stock, and remains in effect for the remainder of the trimester. During the closure, common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear may not fish for, harvest, possess, or land regulated multispecies or ocean pout in or from the Trimester TAC Area for the stock. The Trimester 1 TAC for Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock is 26.3 mt (57,982 lb). Based on catch data through June 17, 2018, the common pool fishery is projected to have caught 29.4 mt (64,792 lb) of GOM haddock, or 112 percent of the Trimester 1 TAC. Effective June 29, 2018, the GOM Haddock Trimester TAC Area is closed for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2018. The GOM Haddock Trimester TAC Area consists of statistical areas 513, 514, and 515. During the closure, common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear may not fish for, harvest, possess, or land regulated multispecies or ocean pout in or from this area. The area reopens at the beginning of Trimester 2 on September 1, 2018. If a vessel declared its trip through the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or the interactive voice response system, and crossed the VMS demarcation line prior to June 29, 2018, it may complete its trip within the GOM Haddock Trimester TAC Area. A vessel that has set its sink gillnet gear prior to June 29, 2018, may complete its trip by hauling such gear. If the common pool fishery exceeds its total quota for a stock in the 2018 fishing year, the overage must be deducted from the common pool's quota for that stock for fishing year 2019. Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery are on our website at: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue to monitor common pool catch through vessel trip reports, dealer-reported landings, VMS catch reports, and other available information and, if necessary, will make additional adjustments to common pool management measures. Classification This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment and the 30-day delayed effectiveness period because it would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest. The regulations require the Regional Administrator to close a trimester TAC area to the common pool fishery when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC for a stock has been caught. Updated catch information through June 17, 2018, only recently became available indicating that the common pool fishery is projected to have caught 112 percent of its Trimester 1 TAC for GOM haddock. The time necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, and a 30-day delay in effectiveness, would prevent the immediate closure of the GOM Haddock Trimester TAC Area. This would be contrary to the regulatory requirement and would increase the magnitude of the Trimester 1 closure and the likelihood that the common pool fishery would exceed its annual quota of GOM haddock. Any overage of the Trimester 1 or Trimester 2 TACs are deducted from the Trimester 3 TAC, and any [[Page 30888]] overage of the annual quota would be deducted from common pool's quota for the next fishing year, to the detriment of this stock. This could undermine conservation and management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Fishermen expect these closures to occur in a timely way to prevent overages and their payback requirements. Overages of the trimester or annual common pool quota could cause negative economic impacts to the common pool fishery as a result of overage paybacks deducted from a future trimester or fishing year. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: June 27, 2018. Margo B. Schulze-Haugen, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018-14185 Filed 6-29-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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of three swordfish per vessel per trip in DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE During the closure, common pool
the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink
Mexico regions, and two swordfish per National Oceanic and Atmospheric gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear may
vessel per trip in the U.S. Caribbean Administration not fish for, harvest, possess, or land
region. Limiting opportunities to harvest regulated multispecies or ocean pout in
available directed swordfish quota may 50 CFR Part 648 or from this area. The area reopens at
have negative social and economic [Docket No. 151211999–6343–02]
the beginning of Trimester 2 on
impacts for U.S. fishermen. Adjustment September 1, 2018.
RIN 0648–XG318 If a vessel declared its trip through the
of the retention limits needs to be
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or the
effective on July 1, 2018, to allow SWO Fisheries of the Northeastern United interactive voice response system, and
General Commercial permit holders and States; Northeast Multispecies crossed the VMS demarcation line prior
HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders Fishery; Gulf of Maine Haddock to June 29, 2018, it may complete its trip
with a commercial endorsement to Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area within the GOM Haddock Trimester
benefit from the adjustment during the Closure for the Common Pool Fishery TAC Area. A vessel that has set its sink
relevant time period, which could pass gillnet gear prior to June 29, 2018, may
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
by for some fishermen, particularly in complete its trip by hauling such gear.
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
the Northwest Atlantic region who have If the common pool fishery exceeds
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
access to the fishery during a short time Commerce. its total quota for a stock in the 2018
period because of seasonal fish fishing year, the overage must be
ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure.
migration, if the action is delayed for deducted from the common pool’s quota
notice and public comment. SUMMARY: This action closes the Gulf of for that stock for fishing year 2019.
Furthermore, the public was given an Maine Haddock Trimester Total Weekly quota monitoring reports for the
opportunity to comment on the Allowable Catch Area to Northeast common pool fishery are on our website
underlying rulemakings, including the multispecies common pool vessels at: http://www.greateratlantic.
adoption of the North Atlantic fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/
swordfish U.S. quota, and the retention and longline/hook gear. The closure is MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue
required because the common pool to monitor common pool catch through
limit adjustments in this action would
fishery is projected to have caught over vessel trip reports, dealer-reported
not have any additional effects or
90 percent of its Trimester 1 quota for landings, VMS catch reports, and other
impacts since the retention limit does available information and, if necessary,
not affect the overall quota. Thus, there Gulf of Maine haddock. This closure is
intended to prevent an overage of the will make additional adjustments to
would be little opportunity for common pool management measures.
meaningful input and review with common pool’s quota for this stock.
public comment on this action. DATES: This action is effective June 29, Classification
Therefore, the AA finds good cause 2018, through August 31, 2018. This action is required by 50 CFR part
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 648 and is exempt from review under
notice and the opportunity for public Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management Executive Order 12866. The Assistant
comment. For all of the above reasons, Specialist, (978) 281–9232. Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
there is also good cause under 5 U.S.C. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in regulations at § 648.82(n)(2)(ii) require 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to
effectiveness. the Regional Administrator to close a waive prior notice and the opportunity
common pool Trimester Total for public comment and the 30-day
This action is being taken under 50 Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock delayed effectiveness period because it
CFR 635.24(b)(4) and is exempt from when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC would be impracticable and contrary to
review under Executive Order 12866. is projected to be caught. The closure the public interest.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 applies to all common pool vessels The regulations require the Regional
et seq. fishing with gear capable of catching Administrator to close a trimester TAC
that stock, and remains in effect for the area to the common pool fishery when
Dated: June 26, 2018.
remainder of the trimester. During the 90 percent of the Trimester TAC for a
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen, closure, common pool vessels fishing stock has been caught. Updated catch
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and information through June 17, 2018, only
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. longline/hook gear may not fish for, recently became available indicating
[FR Doc. 2018–14116 Filed 6–27–18; 11:15 am] harvest, possess, or land regulated that the common pool fishery is
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P multispecies or ocean pout in or from projected to have caught 112 percent of
the Trimester TAC Area for the stock. its Trimester 1 TAC for GOM haddock.
The Trimester 1 TAC for Gulf of The time necessary to provide for prior
Maine (GOM) haddock is 26.3 mt notice and comment, and a 30-day delay
(57,982 lb). Based on catch data through in effectiveness, would prevent the
June 17, 2018, the common pool fishery immediate closure of the GOM Haddock
is projected to have caught 29.4 mt Trimester TAC Area. This would be
(64,792 lb) of GOM haddock, or 112 contrary to the regulatory requirement
percent of the Trimester 1 TAC. and would increase the magnitude of
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES
Effective June 29, 2018, the GOM the Trimester 1 closure and the
Haddock Trimester TAC Area is closed likelihood that the common pool fishery
for the remainder of Trimester 1, would exceed its annual quota of GOM
through August 31, 2018. The GOM haddock. Any overage of the Trimester
Haddock Trimester TAC Area consists 1 or Trimester 2 TACs are deducted
of statistical areas 513, 514, and 515. from the Trimester 3 TAC, and any
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![30888 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations
overage of the annual quota would be timely way to prevent overages and Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
deducted from common pool’s quota for their payback requirements. Overages of Dated: June 27, 2018.
the next fishing year, to the detriment of the trimester or annual common pool Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
this stock. This could undermine quota could cause negative economic
conservation and management Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
impacts to the common pool fishery as Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
objectives of the Northeast Multispecies a result of overage paybacks deducted
Fishery Management Plan. Fishermen [FR Doc. 2018–14185 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am]
from a future trimester or fishing year.
expect these closures to occur in a BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES
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Document Created: 2018-06-30 00:18:13
Document Modified: 2018-06-30 00:18:13
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Rules and Regulations | |
| Action | Temporary rule; area closure. | |
| Dates | This action is effective June 29, 2018, through August 31, 2018. | |
| Contact | Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9232. | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 30887 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XG31 |
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